Celtic latest news: Promising Reo Hatate update 'a real worry for rest of Premiership'

Journalist Pete O’Rourke reckons the fact that Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate isn’t even fully fit is a real worry for the rest of the Scottish Premiership.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed a dream start to life in Glasgow since making the January move from Kawasaki Frontale.              

Hatate signed along with fellow Japanese stars Daizen Maeda and Yosuke Ideguchi, but he’s comfortably had the biggest impact of the three.

Having joined at the beginning of the transfer window, the midfielder had to wait just under three weeks before making his Hoops debut because of the winter break, but soon made up for lost time.

He failed to score on his Celtic bow, but quickly made himself a hero by scoring a screamer in the victory against Hearts, and then produced a scintillating first half display in the Old Firm derby.

Hatate scored two brilliant long-range goals to set the Hoops on their way to a priceless three points against their Glasgow rivals, before he teed up Liel Abada to seal the victory over Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s men.

Four days later, he claimed an assist in the win at Motherwell, meaning he’s already been directly involved in five goals in six games, with Celtic collecting maximum points in each of those.

Prior to his Celtic debut, Hatate hadn’t played for over a month, since his final game in Japan in early December, and O’Rourke reckons that people inside the club think that he’s not yet up to scratch, which is a scary thought for other teams.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “Even some of the Celtic people are saying that he’s not at full speed yet or fully fit, so that’s a real worry for the rest of the Premiership.”

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With five goal contributions in six